On the Up

Hey all - we fell off the blogging wagon for a bit due to a variety of things. Most of it had to do with my (temporary) emotional crack-up, but those shenanigans have been put to rest. In the past couple weeks the following things have happened:
-We secured a lovely truck to drive! Truckie, and she's a real beaut. (Thanks Bridget!!!)
-One of the cats took a big poop on our bed while we watched in confused horror.
-Started season 3 of Weeds (heavy on the zany hijinx).
-Got another job at the cheesiest bar of all time - entirely wood paneled with popcorn ceiling and perma-customers from the early 1970s.
-Saw a huge bear while on a walk by myself; he stood up and stared me down until I ran in the other direction (turns out that's the #1 don't-do...oopsh).
-The sun came out.

-N

Pictures from the top: 1&2. A close moose encounter on East End Road which was both exciting and disturbing. Natalie kept asking me "What do you want to do?!" the entire time the moose were in our vicinity. Good question. 3. Regal eagle. 4. The view from Bridget's new cabin on the ridge. 5. "Homer Alaska, The Halibut Capital of the World". 6. Horse head. 7. We love Truckie! 8. Dorks.

-B

Just Pics

No rain today! 51F is even beginning to feel a bit balmy when the wind isn't whipping.

-N

Rotini Round Two

Well, it's back and I'm pretty certain it's here to stay. The latest giant pot of rainbow rotini and meat sauce was made at some point on Tuesday afternoon and, like the last batch, the leftovers never made it to the fridge. This round has the snacking fork embedded in the midst of the pasta so you don't even have to hassle with finding your own! The good news, however, is that the creator of this latest pasta atrocity has used up the last of both the rainbow rotini and the jumbo restaurant sized can of tomato sauce. Could this possibly be the final round?

-B

Signs of Summer

So far, summertime in Alaska has felt like an arctic deep freeze. It rained all day yesterday and today, but the locals keep saying how it has been a lovely and warm season. To be fair, the stunning photo seen above was taken on top of Mt. Evans in Colorado, but I've adapted this classy signature look to suit a wide range of escapades here in the land of icy breezes and rusted-out hoopties.

-N

A General Reminder

I spied this sign on the spit by the Homer ferry terminal. It was placed conspicuously at the end of a porch with no railing. I appreciate it for more than it's obvious message and I hope that it can be of some help to you as well.

-B

Goons

Today was another average but lovely day in Homer. Slightly rainy, diesel trucks galore, and a smattering of moose.
On the topic of goons: above you see the camera-toting New England tourist variety. In Homer, and specifically in the house we're staying in, you find the 50-bong-rips-a-day, conspiracy-theorizing, D&D-playing sort that stays in a darkened room for all but the essential one minute breaks it takes to reload a bowl of frosted flakes.
-N

Hey Griffin!

It's time for a couple of shots of Griffin T. Lara, the latest addition to my family. We were lucky enough to meet him before we left for Alaska and he's awesome.
-B

Sea Breezes

Alaska is certainly rad. But, at the moment I'm dreaming of the New Hampshire shore and its fine selection of steamed sea creatures and warm sand.

-N

Buoys and Rocks

Here are some things I saw while Natalie was learning the ropes at The Salty Dawg.

-B

Living in Other Peoples' Homes

This large pot containing rainbow rotini, ground beef, and tomato sauce has been living on the kitchen counter for 3 full days. Its companion, the plate of deep-fried eggplant, has been stationed here for the same amount of time. Curiously, just a couple of hours ago the food was consolidated to a smaller vessel; yet, it still remains on the counter. It is clear that someone in this house is continually snacking on these items, and it may be one or both of the cats. Becky's mantra, "everyone is different," is useful in confusing times like these.
-N

Boats Boats Boats

Today we drove to town, then walked the 4.5 mile spit and handed out business cards at the harbor. It seems that we're a bit early in comparison to other workers showing up, so we might have an advantage with securing regular clients.

Odd things seen in Homer today:

-Man hopped up on goofballs with ash-smeared face driving a beater Ford, proclaiming that the car was on fire earlier in the day.

-Nearly life-size stuffed horse mounted in the back of an old Dodge truck; horse was equipped with sensors that triggered various audio effects.

Alaska Goodness

And here we have: the view from the Land's End resort at the end of the spit, fish guts (everywhere), scenes from daily walks, and Bishop's Beach.

The Everyday

The living situation: a view of the lovely home we're staying in, Buddha Bob, non-functioning driveway decorations (everyone has at least 3), and our Ritz-esque living quarters.

Homer

We're in Homer! Some of the sites: Kachemak Bay State Park as seen from the Homer Spit (across the water), Homer Harbor, country road, and an egg house located off East End Rd.